1. Field
This application relates to a cooling device and, in some embodiments, to a thermoelectrically cooled inductive charging station, such as for charging a cell phone or other portable electronic devices, and components thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable electronic devices (PEDs), such as cell phones, music players, sound recorders, computers (e.g., laptops, tablets, etc.), radios, watches, and otherwise, generally require power for operation. As such, many PEDs include a rechargeable battery or other rechargeable power source, thereby allowing for the device to be powered and readily transported without being limited by the length of electrical power cords or the like. In some instances, the charging of PEDs is accomplished with a physical electrical connection, such as a plug or other electrical connection that is connected with the device during charging and then disconnected when charging is complete. However, such connections are inconvenient due to the requirement of connecting and disconnecting the physical electrical connection.
Some PEDs avoid the need for such a physical electrical connection by being configured to accept inductive charging. Inductive charging uses electromagnetic fields to transfer power from a base (e.g., a dock) to a receiver (e.g., the power source in the PED) that is in close proximity to the base. Because power is transferred via the electromagnetic fields, a physical electrical connection between the base and the receiver is not required, thus eliminating the inconvenience associated with connecting and disconnecting the physical electrical connection.